"The Revenant," directed by Alejandro González Iñárritu

Movie, 2015

Revenge family drama in the trappers' Wild West, with a bear-attack, some mastery in muttering and portrayals of Indians which feel a little tired and old-fashioned. The sentiments and narrative also feel a little overdone, but against all these criticisms, the locations are stunning and brought out by some wonderful photography. The action sequences are full of grit and gore, and things are paced quite well. Those who enjoy the last man battling against the odds, there's lots to commend here; for others, the going maybe a little tougher.

"The Story of My Teeth," by Valeria Luiselli

Novel, 2015

A novel about an auctioneer who loses his teeth when he's robbed of everything he has, and the lives of those around him. This is a book whose narrative and conception are acutely self-referential, which cuts the flow, though doesn't entirely bring things to a halt. A bold work which only half comes off - there's much to admire, but the book has a fairly cold feel, as if the reader's being led a little too far, then pushed back. Experimental and worthy; not always the most entertaining.

"Black Mountain Poets", directed by Jamie Adams

Movie, 2015

Low key love story among a group of poets on a retreat in the rainy greenery of Wales. While this is a piece which works well enough and delivers some good moments, there's also something uneasy in the satire, which feels a little self-referential and apologetic. Lo-fi attacks low achievement; indie attacking independent, but with no incisive comment or defence. For all this, and for some fairly limited characterisations here and there, this is a film to enjoy, in the main.

"He Never Died," directed by Jason Krawczyk

Movie. 2015

Downbeat, comedic and, in places, moving zombie film, which brings some interesting touches to a well-worn genre. Chief among these is the casting of Henry Rollins and his largely successful portrayal of the film's anti-hero, particularly in his emotionally compromised interactions with the two main female characters. With a more coherent plot and a few tweaks on the gore and some of the more ill-judged 'humour' set-pieces, this could have been a very good film. As it is, it's fine, but ultimately not as satisfying as it could have been.

"R.I.P." by Nigel Williams

Novel, 2015

Exploration of the unsightly behaviours and undignified actions following the death of the main protagonist. Through George, a retired bank manager's eyes, a story slowly - sometimes too slowly, especially at the beginning - evolves, exposing a good deal of suburban middle-class rot, which ends up, almost, as a 'whodunnit'. That the book isn't a whodunnit, nor magical realism or more straightforward social satire, but a rather ungainly mixture of all three, is problematic and while the prose is skillful it does little, at times, to engage the reader. A good book in places; though not so in others.

"Arab Jazz", by Karim Miské

Novel, 2015

While the settings and particularly the characters in the book are a little off-genre, this book is, essentially, a piece of detective fiction. Nothing wrong with that, and at the beginning of the book, the combination of a fairly familiar form and some more contemporary aspects combine to hook the reader. The power diminishes, to some extent, after a high number of popular cultural or religious references and one edgy druggy encounter too many. The whole piece still flows well and is very entertaining. 

"Identicals" (aka "Brand New-U"), directed Simon Pummell

Movie, 2015

Science-fiction, which starts with a striking idea and concept, then struggles to develop them. Sadly, when it does, the development is a little muddy and the narrative hampered by unclear pacing and action. Possibly a film to be absorbed and 'felt' rather watched purely for enjoyment, but the whole conceit of body swapping and assuming identities may not carry the serious, gloomy tone of the movie as a whole

"High Rise", directed Ben Wheatley

Movie, 2015

If setting this dystopian drama in the 1970s is slightly puzzling, then it's a detail in a film which builds effectively before snapping and ratcheting the tension and the incidents. By no means a comfortable watch, this is a blatant and not-so-subtle piece, but one which really gets its hooks in and lays on an effective moral story. Some comic moments and some which are stark, though overall, this is a hugely effective, watchable movie.

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"The Lobster", directed by Yorgos Lanthimos

Movie, 2015

Relentless, surreal film in which single people have forty-five days, under a strict regime in a strange hotel, to find a loving relationship or be turned into an animal. Events unfold and are, at turns, striking and brutal, with a few jaw dropping moments, but more often , an uneasy sense of a fil trying to be too odd and profound. The mood, throughout, is despairing and yes, there are laughs, but they're often dragged out of set-ups that are a little too brutal.

"Suffragette," directed by Sarah Gavron

Movie, 2015

Really solid, likeable, worthy though somehow flat film about the women's suffrage movement leading up to Emily Davison throwing herself in front of the King's horse on derby Day. There was, however, a lack of a spark in the telling of the story, as if any disrespecting of the narrative or misrepresentation of any of the characters would have caused the movie to collapse into itself. So, a little plodding in places. A good film overall and a good way of finding out about the movement, just perhaps a little 'safe' and 'staid'.

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"Macbeth", directed by Justin Kurzel

Movie, 2015

A film which turns the play on its head, from a pacy plot which builds tension, to something pushing style at the expense of substance and in shortening the running time, makes the whole thing drag. An achievement of sorts. While there are some interesting ideas, including the battle scenes, the whole piece feels like a series of disjointed moments and there are times when the director's vision and cinematography go into overdrive and swamp everything else. Not the greatest introduction to the Bard.

"The Martian," directed by Ridley Scott

Movie, 2015

Man in space film, which is entertaining enough, but falls between too many different areas as it tries to tackle and ends up feeling, at times, like an all singy-dancey feel good film. Fine if you like that sort of thing. On the way, there are special effects aplenty and some interesting debates - how to grow food in space, how to PR a disaster and how team dynamics work. All great; all easy on the eye. The main character's constant cheeriness is, however, a little difficult to watch and fully believe, although there are a few odd performances (Jeff Daniels particularly) and the plot and pacing might have been a little more interesting.

"Spectre", directed Sam Mendes

Movie, 2015

James Bond as you've seen him before, plenty of times. Yes, this is a film which is easy on the eye and there are thrills aplenty, but this doesn't compensate for the trite references to old films in the series, which come thick and fast. Even the plot's premise  - the danger of big data and surveillance - feels like something half-baked and turned up from a few decades back. Blofeld, Aston Martins, fights with Jaws-like assassins on trains, super-villain lairs and, indeed, Spectre abound, but do little to move the franchise on.

"The Field of the Cloth of Gold", by Magnus Mills

Novel, 2015

Another super-real world beautifully crafted from the everyday, in which seemingly innocuous comings and goings suggest seismic undercurrents. This time, Mills sets his action in a field at an unspecified time and looks at the inter-relations of different tribes and individuals as they settle down and get on with each other, or fail to do so. The end of the book, after the hints, suggestions and actions preceding it, is wonderfully underplayed but convincingly uneasy. A real submersive, subversive delight. 

"Absolutely Anything", directed by Terry Jones

Movie, 2015

Slight, puffy comedy which never hits its stride, never really delivers the killer laugh, but at the same time, isn't that bad a film. Absolutely Anything feels like an outdated situation comedy with a touch of ludicrous science-fiction with a wheezing plot and daft devices. Still, it's neither a film which demands to be taken too seriously, nor is it savage satire. Overall, the commendable points are slightly lost and just outshot by the less successful points. But really, not that bad.

"The Man from U.N.C.L.E.", directed by Guy Ritchie

Movie, 2015

Sleek, shiny, inevitable cash-in on the 1960s spy thriller, whose production, politically, comes at a very interesting time. This is a film whose tongue is quite rightfully and respectfully in its cheek, but which isn't  as warm or charming as its source material. For all its slick delivery, the twenty-first century version feels hurried and stuck together. The conversion of Illya Kuyakin to a muscle bound intellectual doesn't entirely work, while Napolean precariously wavers between smug and charming. Perhaps it's meant to be; and the film, despite shortcomings, is very entertaining.

"Mr Holmes," directed Bill Condon

Movie, 2015

A retired, infirm and fake-nosed Sherlock Holmes finds his truculent housekeeper, her plucky son and his apiary giving him plenty to think about while he's trying to get on with the business of retiring. A film in which plenty of flashbacks, narratives and themes swirl without fully knitting together. An enjoyable watch but one ultimately stifled by its central character and certain well-meaning but slightly suffocating Englishness. Not at all bad - could have done with a few edits here and there.

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"Girl in the Band", Kim Gordon

Memoir, 2015

Autobiographical work by Kim Gordon in which she plots her artistic and musical life in California and New York. This is a good, flowing read which will disappoint anyone looking for the "warts and all" - her relationship with long-term partner Thurston Moore isn't a salacious hatchet job, while the other Sonic Youth members don't really get much of a look in. Gordon writes in small chunks, conveying the non-stop exhaustion of touring, especially as a mother, and the cliches and attitudes of being a woman in her profession. Good to hear a rock story rather than having one shoved at you.